Game device



Sept 5, 1933 F. E. HUMMEL. 1,925,924

GAME DEVICE Filed March 2. 1933 f7' 'L/z/ a" 0 00 EVEN BEs D ODDS `2I I 2 3 l T0 I8 191036 oN THE Nose 0 0R OO NOTHING u' 5 6 LSTTI2 3TO|2 35||sLsEmv5 2F08' 2ND|2 2roR| SPUTS 2mm .1 7 8 9 o 5 I9 'ONTAL ROW lo mfg) 900000004( Tlz :Fm b\ O O a@ Z5 u coRNER. I3 KNO o) o o a" m1 I6 d PSDRITONTAL LINE I9 202| d *Q82 m a G f O O cu 22 23 zu 1,00 ,.0 /j

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Patented Sept. 5, 1933 Pli'rlairrv OFFICE l UNITED STATES 10 Claims.

My inventionrelates to `improvements in game apparatus of the type in which a spherical game piece, such as a marble, is gravity released from a freely rotatable cup mounted at the apex of a stationary conical playing surface, the perimeter .of the conical surface being formed to provide a stop for the gravitating marble and to retain the same in a denite scoring position relative to an annular s'eries of markings upon a relatively flexiblesheet, to which the conical device is secured and held in playing position. In the accompanying" drawing the annular series Vof markings on the sheet take the form usually printed upon a' roulette wheel and in playing the game, the rules governing the playing of roulette may be followed.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of an' extremely simple and portable game device for theplaying of roulette, said device being formed in part by a rectangular exible sheet 'having securing means at the corners' for cooperation with the corners of a card table of usual construction, ,the sheet serving as a playing cover 'for the ltable and providing centering and` supporting means for a relatively rigid gravity controlled device with respect to the four sides of Vthe table. Y A further object of my invention is to provide, in combination with a lcard table cover having a game playing surface, a gravity controlled chance device having a stationary conical ball gravitating surface and an annular series of pockets cooperating VVwith saidsurfaces, whereby 'matter printed upon the Vtable cover around the gravitating surface bears a direct scoring rela- 4,tion to each of the pockets of said device.

The r-above and other aims and objects will be apparent from the detailed des'criptionhereinafter appearing, when takenin conjunction with 40 `the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. lY is a plan'vievv of my game device in play- `ing`position`upon a card table top; one .of the corners of the 'device being shown turned back upon'itself to illustratethe means for securing `it to 'a corner of the table;

Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary view in side elevation, Vof the `central portion of my game device, Ywith parts in section to illustrate the travel of the spherical game piece from a con- .'ceale'd 'position within the 'rotatable cup, under the'influence of centrifugal force, to a position of 'r'est'in a 'seoringpocket at'the periphery of the 5 V'of a peripheral"portionof' the gravitating surface greatly reduces the cost of manufacture and also and adjacent playing surface to which it is secured, showing in perspective the relationship of the printed matter upon the playing surface to the ballereceiving pockets, and;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a slightly 60 modified form of my invention showing the ball receiving pockets formed by aperturing the marginal ball retaining flange at the base of the conical gravitating surface.

In the embodiment of the device shown in the drawing, the playing surface 5 may consist simply of a rectangular sheet of cardboard, or other suitable relatively exible material, of a size to fit within the marginal flange 6 of a card table f top 7. Printed around the center of the sheet is an annular series of numbers ,8, each enclosed Within adjacent blocks of contrasting colors, or if desired, the numbers may be printed alternately with red and black ink to provide additional plays which may be made upon the playing surface in playing the game. At one side yof the sheet is also printed three parallel rows Vgame piece, as indicated by the charts 10, printed on the opposite side of the sheet 5.

Intermediate therows of numbered boxes 9, and charts 10, may be printed additional rows of 'boxes 11, yfor plays other than upon the num- 90 bers of the circular series 8, such as red, black, odd, even, etc., which greatlyenhances the interest and yeducational value of ,the

game.

'It jwill be apparent from the'foregomg that al1 95 the printed matter required to designate both points and plays in the playingof the game is produced by a vsimple printing operation upon the single planate surface of the sheet 5, which functions to aid the players in following and comparing the points and plays from various positions about the table upon which the sheet is stretched by corner securing means later to be described. 1 .At the central portion of the rectangular sheetl 5, is locateda hollowconical member 12, the annular base portion 13, of which rests upon'the sheet, adjacent the innerperiphery of the annular series of printedA numbers 8. 4Pins or rivets 14, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, serve to secure the cone to the sheet 5, at points opposite the four corners of the sheet for a purpose hereinafter explained.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the base 13 of the cone is shown flattened radially to provide an alleyway which rests upon the sheet and terminates in an upturned annular guard flange 15, the flattened surface ofthe base being formedwith an annularlseries of apertures Y16; there `being an aperture for each of the numbers of the adjacent annular series of printed numbers upon the sheet 5. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the apertures 16 are closed at their bottoms' by the underlying material of the sheet 5,.pro viding pockets adapted to receive and hold a gravity projected ball or marble in a denite scoring position relative to the radially disposed series of numbers upon the sheet.

While the game may be successfully played by simplytossing a small ball or marble upon the vconical surface of rthe member' 12 from which it `will roll by gravity vinto yone of the scoring pockets 16, I have devised a novel chance controlled `means for dispensing a ball at an unknown radial point adjacent the apex of the cone 12'after retaining the ball concealed for a sufficient period of time for the players to complete their plays upon the printed areas 9 or 11 of the sheet 5, which greatly adds to the amusement and. interest voffthe game.v For this purpose I have mounted at the apex of the conical-member 12 avertical guide pin 17 which is pointed at its upperend to providean antifriction bearing for theconicalV recessedr end of a `vertical rotary'spindle 18 aflixed` centrally within the reentrant bottom 19 of a cup-like member A20. As shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of the reentrant central bottom portion` 19 is crimped as at 21 into a groove in the side of the Vspindle 18from whence the material of the c up extends downwardly and outwardly about the pin 17, then curving `upwardlyY and inwardly to. provide curved sides 20, terminating in an open top surrounding the spindle 18. v

.To maintain true alignment Ybetween the spindle 18 .and its supporting pin, when' spinning the cup from the spindle and during rotation thereof, a sleeve 22 may be secured between the reentrant bottom portion and spindle, as at 21, soas to freely embracev the sides of the guide pin 17, and the space between the sleeve and bottom portion 19 may be lled with aweightyfsubstance, such as lead 23. The bottom of the spinner cup 20 is further formed with one ormore Yapertures 24, each of a diameter slightly greater than that ofthe playing ball 25. Y'

outwardly and against the curved sids'of the cup where it is held concealed from the players,

asV indicated in dottedk lines, untilfthe rspeed of `the cups rotation drops belowY that which will sustain the weight of theball. .The ball then vdrops. throughv one ,off the openings 24 upon the Under centrifugal actionr of the spinning cup the ball is thrown supported in perfectly level position. It is alsoimportant in positioning the devicefor plays by a number of persons that it be held at the center of the supporting table around which. the persons may be grouped.

To these ends the relatively rigid conical member 12 is secured at four symmetrical points around the center of the sheetA 5, the points of connection being. opposite vthe corners of the sheetas formerly described, 4and at each of the corners of the sheet is secured a strap of elastic material 26. The straps 26 are adapted to be sprung under the adjacent corners of the table top 7 whereby to draw and stretch the material of the sheet between the corners of the table and center and level the relatively rigid. change device with respect to the sides of the' table.

In Fig. 4I have shown a modified construction of ball'rolling and scoring device in which Athe flattened pocketed alleyway is done away with. In this form the combined ball retaining and guard flange 15 is formed by upturning the marginal portion of the material of the cone 12 immediately at`the base of the cone, instead of radially spaced therefrom, and by aperturing the flange at closely spaced intervals yadjacent the cone as indicated at 16. The apertures 16 are of a diameter slightly Iess than that of the playing ball 25 so that the ball rolled upon the inclined surface of the cone is caused to settle into one of the apertures' and project beyond the flange into clearly visible position over a number space of the annu'- lar printed series 8 on the sheet 5.

While I have described and shown but a few embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood'that itis capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made rwhich do not depart from the spiritand scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims. A

I claim: v

1. A game board device comprising a fiat sheet of flexible Vmaterial having an area thereof `provided 'with means to designate points in playing the game, and a conical game piece gravitating 4 surfacev immovably carried upon said sheet, the area designating the points beof flexible material having an area thereof printed to designate points in playing the game,

ra conical game piece gravitating surface immovably carried upon said sheet, the area designating the points being disposed annularly with respect to said canical surface, and game piece retarding means between said last mentioned area and conical surface.

. 3. A game board device comprising a sheet of flexiblematerial having means forl detachably securing the same over a plane surface, said sheet bearing indicia designating points in playing the game, a conical game piece gravitating surface secured to said sheet, the indicia designating the points being disposed annularly with respect to said conical surface, game piece retarding and holding means between said last mentioned indicia and conical surface, and a .gravity controlled game piece projector supported above the apex of said conical surface.

4. A game board device vcomprising a flexible sheet of material having a relatively rigid game piece gravitating portion inclined with respect to the surrounding area of the sheet, and game piece scoring means on said sheet and surrounding said inclined portion.

5. A chance game device comprising a rectangular flexible sheet having means to detachably secure the same over the top of a card table, said sheet having an area thereof printed to designate points in playing the game, and a gravity controlled device having ball receiving pockets, said device being secured to said sheet v with the pockets thereof adjacent the printed area, whereby to provide scoring means for said pockets.

6. A game device comprising a sheet of flexible material having means for detachably securing the same over a plane surface, said sheet being provided with scoring means disposed annularly with respect to its center, and a conical game piece gravitating surface secured to the sheet within the area surrounded by the means.

7. A game device comprising a sheet of flexible material having means for detachably securing the same over a plane surface, said sheet being provided with scoring indicia disposed annularly with respect to its center, a conical game piece gravitating surface secured to the sheet Within the area surrounded by the indicia, and an annular series of pockets disposed inter'- mediate the indicia and the perimeter of the conical surface.

8. A game device comprising a sheet of flexible material having means for detachably securing the same over a plane surface, said sheet being provided with scoring indicia disposed annularly with respect to its center, a conical game piece gravitating surface secured to the sheet within the area surrounded by the indicia, an annular series of pockets disposed' intermediate the indicia and the perimeter of the conical surface, and game piece retarding means between the series of pockets and indicia.

9. A game device comprising a sheet of flexible material having means for detachably securing the saine over a plane surface, said sheet being provided with scoring indicia disposed annularly with respect to its center, a conical game piece gravitating surface secured to the sheet within the area surrounded by the indicia, an annular series of pockets disposed intermediate the indicia and the perimeter of the conical surface, game piece retarding means between the series of pockets and indicia, and a gravity controlled game piece projector supported above said conical surface.

10. A game device comprising a rectangular flexible sheet having corner means for detachably securing the sheet over a card table top, said sheet being provided with scoring indicia disposed annularly with respect to its center, a game piece gravitating means, and means disposed in line with the diagonally opposite corners of the sheet for securing said gravitating means to the sheet Within the area surrounded by the indicia.

FREDERICK E. HUMMEL. 

